Joe Bruchac
Joe Bruchac
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Iroquoian

At the time of colonial contact in the early 1600s, the Mohawk (Kanienʼkehá꞉ka) were the easternmost nation of the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois Confederacy), inhabiting the Mohawk River Valley in present-day upstate New York. Their territory included three main village clusters—later called the Lower, Middle, and Upper Castles—centered around sites such as Ossernenon, Caughnawaga, and Kanatsiohareke.


  • Eastern Door of the Confederacy: The Mohawk were responsible for diplomacy with Algonquian neighbors and incoming Europeans. Their chiefs held key roles in the Haudenosaunee Grand Council.
     
  • Trade and Warfare: Early trade with the Dutch at Fort Orange gave the Mohawk access to firearms and expanded their role in the regional fur trade. They played a leading role in the Beaver Wars and in conflicts with the French and Algonquian groups.
     
  • Mission Influence: Some Mohawk converted to Christianity and migrated north to Jesuit mission towns in Canada, such as Kahnawà:ke, creating a lasting Mohawk presence in both countries.
     

Despite disease, warfare, and land loss, Mohawk communities endured and adapted, maintaining deep ties to both their traditional homelands and diaspora settlements.


Our Iroquoian ancestry comes through Marion Bowman, who carried dozens of lineal lines to a Mohawk woman known as Ots-Toch. Ots-Toch stands out as a deeply significant figure in early Northeastern colonial history, a peacemaker. Her husband, Broer Cornelis Van Slyck, remembered as the Peacemaker of Early New York. Though the Van Slyck surname has faded within Mohawk communities, their descendants continue—especially among families in Akwesasne, Kahnawà:ke, and Tyendinaga.



IROQUOIAN (Mohawk)


  • Marion Bowman (1921–1999) m. Joseph Bruchac Jr. (1912-1986)
    • Funnel lines for Marion Bowman: Lines 1–22 (Confirmed), 23–30 (Partially Confirmed/Provisional), 31–39 (Confirmed), 40–50 (Reinforcement/Provisional) + Additional Algonquian DeVoe descent (Confirmed). Total: 50.
    • Residence: Splinterville, Greenfield, Saratoga Co., NY.


Parents


  • Jesse E. Bowman (1886–1970)
    • Funnel lines: Jesse carries forward the first full convergence of all 50 ancestral funnels. These are inherited through his mother, Alice Van Antwerp, reinforced by the Conklin and DeVoe lines, and completed by a final provisional funnel line through his father Louis Bowman. Total: 50.
    • Residence: Splinterville, Greenfield, Saratoga Co., NY.


  • Marion Edna Dunham (1895–1958)
    • Funnel Lines: 23–30 (Partially Confirmed/Provisional). Total: 8.
    • Residence: Splinterville, Greenfield, Saratoga Co., NY. Splinterville was a small hamlet in Greenfield, NY, centered around Judson D. Root’s basket/splint factory on Bell Brook (Mill Road area). Augustus Hard Dunham (1828–1887), Marion's grandfather, was documented as working/living there in the 1860s–1870s. By Marion Edna’s time (early 1900s), Splinterville as an industrial hamlet was already declining, but families with ties there often remained in that part of Greenfield/Milton.


Grandparents


  • Alice Van Antwerp (1853–1909)
    • Funnel lines: Lines 1–22 (Confirmed), 23–30 (Partially Confirmed/Provisional), 31–39 (Confirmed), 40–49 (Reinforcement/Provisional) + Additional Algonquian DeVoe descent (Confirmed). Total: 49.
    • Residence: Schaghticoke → Greenfield, NY. Schaghticoke, at the confluence of the Hoosic and Hudson Rivers, was a multi-tribal Native community where Mahican, Abenaki, and Lenape families rebuilt their lives—an enduring place of refuge and survival. It also became home to Dutch–Indigenous families, including descendants of Mohawk and Mohican women who had intermarried with Dutch settlers during the New Netherland era, carrying forward both European and Native traditions in this shared space.


Great-Grandparents


  • Susan Atty Maria Conklin (1828–1901)
    • Funnel lines: 17–22 (Confirmed), 23–30 (Partially Confirmed/Provisional). Total: 14.
    • Residence: Schaghticoke →  Lake George, Warren Co., NY. →  Splinterville, Greenfield, NY.


  • Lt. Daniel Wynant Van Antwerp (1821–1900)
    • Funnel lines: His convergence of Van Antwerp + Conklin + DeVoe gives 49 Iroquoian + Algonquian funnels. Total: 49.
    • Residence: Schaghticoke →  Lapeer County, MI (carpenter) → Danville Soldiers’ Home, Vermilion County, IL (final residence & death)


2nd Great-Grandparents


  • Hester Ann DeVoe (1791–1871)
    • Funnel lines: Lines 1-22 (Confirmed), 23–30 (Partially  Confirmed/Provisional), 31–39 (Confirmed),  41–42, 44 (Reinforcement/Provisional). Total: 43.
    • Residence: Schaghticoke, Rensselaer Co., NY →  Lake George, Warren Co., NY.


  • Winant (Wynant) Van Antwerp (1793–1886)
    • Funnel lines: Lines 1-22 (Confirmed), 23–30 (Partially  Confirmed/Provisional), 31–39 (Confirmed), 40, 43, 45–49  (Reinforcement/Provisional) + Additional Algonquian DeVoe descent  (Confirmed). Total: 44.
    • Residence: Schaghticoke, Rensselaer Co., NY.


  • Daniel Filkins (1783–1862)
    • Residence: Clifton Park, NY.


3rd Great-Grandparents


  • Douw (Douwe) Lewis Van Antwerp (1764–1832) m. Maria Berg (1765–1851)
    • Funnel lines for Douwe: 1–16 (Confirmed), 31–39 (Confirmed), 40, 43, 45–50 (Reinforcement/Provisional). Total: 32.
    • Funnel lines for Maria: 1, 6–8, 10–12, 14–16, 31–33, 36–38 (Confirmed), 41–42 (Reinforcement/Provisional). Total 12
    • Residence: Schaghticoke, NY.


  • Mary “Polly” Palmer (ca. 1753–1844)
    • Residence: Saratoga County, NY.


4th Great-Grandparents


  • Maria Van Antwerp (1741–1822) m. Jacobus Van Den Bergh (1737–1818)
    • Funnel Lines for Jacobus Van Den Bergh: 1–16 (Confirmed), 31–39 (Confirmed), 40, 43, 45–50 (Reinforcement/Provisional). Total: 32.
    • Funnel lines for Maria Van Antwerp: 1–16 (Confirmed), 31–39 (Confirmed), 40, 43, 45–50 (Reinforcement/Provisional). Total: 32.
    • Residence: Schaghticoke, Rensselaer Co., NY


  • Cornelis Van Antwerp (1731–1792)
    • Funnel lines: 1–2 (Confirmed), 3–4, 6–16 (Documented/Secondary), 31–39 (Confirmed), 40, 41, 43, 45–50 (Reinforcement/Provisional). Total: 18.
    • Residence: Kanatsiohareke, Schenectady, NY.


  • Neeltje Groot (1732–1784)
    • Funnel lines: 3 (Documented/Secondary), 31–39 (Confirmed), 40, 43, 45–50 (Reinforcement/Provisional). Total: 17.
    • Residence: Albany/Schenectady, NY.


5th Great-Grandparents


  • Neeltje Wemp (1730–1780)
    • Funnel lines: 5 (Confirmed), 6–16 (Documented/Secondary), 31–39 (Confirmed), 40, 43, 45–50 (Reinforcement/Provisional). Total: 17.
    • Residence: Schenectady, NY.



  • Lewis (Louwis) Simonse Van Antwerp (1710s–1770s)
    • Funnel lines: 1–16 (Confirmed), 31–39 (Confirmed), 40, 43, 45–50 (Reinforcement/Provisional). Total: 17.
    • Residence: Schenectady, NY.  →  Schaghticoke, NY


  • Douw Isaacse Fonda (1709–1771)
    • Funnel lines: 7–8, 10–12, 14–16, 31–33, 36–38, 41–42. Total 12.
    • Residence:  Schoharie, NY.


6th Great-Grandparents


  • Barent Janse Wemp (1670–1736)
    • Funnel lines: 5–16 (Confirmed), 31–39 (Confirmed), 40, 43, 45–50 (Reinforcement/Provisional). Total: 17.
    • Residence: Schenectady, NY.


  • Maria Groot (1712–1789)
    • Funnel lines: 3 (Documented/Secondary), 31–39 (Confirmed), 40, 43, 45–50 (Reinforcement/Provisional). Total: 17.
    • Residence: Schenectady, NY.


  • Gerrit Danielse Van Antwerp (b. ca. 1714 – after 1753)
    • Funnel lines: 36, 47, 49. Total: 3.
    • Residence:  Kanatsiohareke, Schenectady, NY.


  • Cornelis (Martense) Van Buren 1671–1729 & Hendrickje Van Ness (1648–1720)
    • Funnel lines for Cornelis: 6–8, 11–12, 14–16, 31–33, 36–38, 41–42. Total: 12.
    • Funnel lines for Hendrickje: 7–8, 10–12, 14–16, 31–33, 36–38, 41–42. Total 12.
    • Residence:  Albany and Kinderhook districts of the Dutch-American frontier.


7th Great-Grandparents


  • Maria Van Slyck (ca. 1666–1725)
    • Funnel lines: 3 (Confirmed), 31–39 (Confirmed), 40, 43, 45–50 (Reinforcement/Provisional). Total: 17.
    • Residence: Kanatsiohareke, Schenectady, NY.


  • Neeltje Pieterse Van Olinda (ca. 1660s–early 1700s) m. Jacob Cornelisz Van Antwerp (1639–1712)
    • Funnel lines: 1–4 (Confirmed), 6–16 (Confirmed), 31–39 (Confirmed), 40, 43, 45–50 (Reinforcement/Provisional). Total: 17.
    • Residence: Kanatsiohareke, Schenectady, NY.


  • Hendrick Cornelissen Van Buren (1645–1725)
    • Funnel lines: 8, 11–12, 14–16, 31–33 (Confirmed), 36–38, 41–42 (Reinforcement/Provisional). Total: 12.
    • Residence: Kanatsiohareke, Schenectady, NY.


8th Great-Grandparents


  • Hilletje (Hilletie) Van Slyck (ca. 1650–aft. 1710)
    • Funnel lines: 1–4 (Confirmed), 6–16 (Confirmed), 31–39 (Confirmed), 40, 43, 45–50 (Reinforcement/Provisional). Total: 17.
    • Residence: Kanatsiohareke, Schenectady, NY.


  • Jacques "Itsitsiosokwachka" Cornelissen Van Slyck (ca. 1640–1690)
    • Funnel lines: 3 (Confirmed), 31–39 (Confirmed), 40, 43, 45–50 (Reinforcement/Provisional). Total: 17.
    • Residence: Kanatsiohareke, Schenectady, NY.


  • Leah (Elisabeth) Van Slyck (ca. 1665–1728)
    • Funnel lines: 36, 47, 49 (Confirmed Cousin Extensions). Total: 3.
    • Residence: Kanatsiohareke, Schenectady, NY.


9th Great-Grandparents


  • Ots-Toch (ca. 1620–aft. 1660, Mohawk) m. Cornelis Antonissen “Broer” Van Slyck (1620–1667)
    • Residence: Tiononderoge (Mohawk Upper Castle) and in Schenectady/Albany, and Ots-Toch is associated with Mohawk territory at Kanatsiohareke.

These lines are supported by historical records; most Indigenous ancestries, however, were never formally documented.

Documented Indigenous Descent Lines to Marion Bowman Bruchac

Related Blog Posts

  • Families Definitively Tied to Mohawk or Mahican Ancestry
  • Still Here: Ots-Toch — Mother of Many Nations
  • Broer Cornelis: Peacemaker of Early New York
  • Still Here: Hester Ann DeVoe
  • Documenting Hester Ann Devoe’s Indigenous Ties
  • Still Here: Jacques Cornelissen Van Slyck
  • Still Here: Hilletje Van Slyck
  • Van Antwerp: From Beverwyck to Schaghticoke, 1660-1710
  • Bridging Worlds: The Van Slyck Legacy
  • Catskill Patents: Born Between Worlds
  • Elisabeth and Hilletje Van Slyck
  • The Final Years of New Netherlands
  • 1690 Schenectady: Conflict, and Continuance

Grampa Jesse Bowman holding his great grandson James Bruchac (1968). Photograph by Carol Bruchac.

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Related Posts

Still Here: Ots-Toch — Mother of Many Nations
The Good Message of HANDSOME LAKE
Bridging Worlds: The Van Slyck Legacy
Elisabeth and Hilletje Van Slyck
Kinship Written on the Land
Lines of Peace: Cohoes Falls, Ots-Toch, and The Peacemaker

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